


Sunlight Through The Clouds

by vix_spes



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adoption, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Established Relationship, Infertility, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-17
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-12-03 07:01:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11527002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: After some news that turns their world upside down, Natasha gives Clint and Bucky hope again.





	Sunlight Through The Clouds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [isisanubis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/isisanubis/gifts).



> Huge thanks to [roe87](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/roe87) for the beta

If he was being completely honest with himself - and it wasn't something that he was great at, Clint wasn't remotely surprised by the prognosis that the doctors in SHIELD medical gave him. He might not have wanted to accept it, but he had been expecting it for a while. Tony was proclaiming loudly that he'd fly in the best doctors to see Clint, wanting to throw money at the problem as he always did but Clint shook his head, thanking him for the offer. Instead, he clung tighter to Bucky's hand, seeking solace from his alphas strong, silent presence. In fact, he didn't say anything all the way back to the Tower, taking what little comfort he could from the solid presence of Bucky and Natasha either side of him like sentinels.

Once they arrived home, Clint headed straight for the floor that he and Bucky shared, appropriating one of Bucky's hoodies and hiding in what the other man affectionately called Clint's nest. Once there, he buried himself in the well-worn fabric and breathed in the oh so familiar scent of Bucky as his mind raced. 

He'd never really thought about having kids of his own; it might be against omegan nature or whatever but he'd never had that biological need to be bred and have pups. Besides, it wasn't as if pups would have ever fitted into his lifestyle; who had ever heard of an assassin travelling the world and toting a pup with them at the same time? It had only been recently, with him and Bucky officially mated and bonded, that Clint had found his thoughts drifting to a pup. Of course, he should have guessed that his shitty childhood not to mention years of suppressants, not enough food and injuries would have wreaked havoc on his body meaning that, no matter how badly Clint wanted a pup that was part of both of them, it simply wasn't possible short of a medical miracle. So, Clint was left to mourn something that he hadn't really been aware that he wanted.

Clint really wasn't surprised when Bucky managed to last almost thirty minutes before joining Clint. In fact, he was impressed that the alpha had managed to last that long. Bucky didn’t try to remove the hoodie from Clint, knowing what comfort Clint took from it having found the archer wearing it on numerous occasions, and instead focused on twining himself around Clint until he was completely cocooned in Bucky's embrace, nose pressed to the scent glands under Bucky's jaw. Bucky didn't bother trying to placate Clint or try to tell him that everything would be okay, knowing that those things were the last thing that Clint either wanted or needed. Instead, he simply sat there in silence until Clint pushed at him, ready to move and, even then, simply offered a chaste kiss.

They could discuss it when they were ready.

~*~

Only that never happened.

Clint and Bucky never did discuss the subject any further. Even if Bucky had wanted to, Clint didn’t give him the opportunity and, to be totally honest, he wasn’t sure that Bucky wanted to discuss it. The two of them simply threw themselves back into work and tried to pretend that everything was normal. They knew that it wasn't the best solution but, given that neither of them was particularly verbose on a good day, never mind when they were having to talk about feelings, their solution was probably to be expected.

It was approximately two months after Clint's diagnosis that their breakfast was disturbed by Natasha dropping a file on the table between them. Clint didn’t pay it any attention and simply continued steadily eating his breakfast, slanting his glance sideways to see that Bucky’s response consisted of simply arching an eyebrow and taking another deep gulp of his coffee. He smiled inwardly when after a stand-off lasting several minutes, Natasha rolled her eyes and sat down, tapping the file with one perfectly manicured fingernail.

“There’s a child, an orphaned omega, three years old. His parents were SHIELD and both of them were killed on a mission nine months ago. They had no family and there was no choice but to let him go into the system. Hill has been tracking him as best as she can but it hasn’t always been possible. She found him a couple of days ago and … it isn’t good.”

Natasha had Clint’s attention now.

Under cover of the table, he felt Bucky move his leg so that it was pressed against Clint’s thigh, reminding Clint that he wasn’t alone and, not for the first time, he found himself amazed that people didn’t consider Bucky to be a suitable alpha. As far as Clint was concerned, there was none better. However, he really wasn’t in the mood for Natasha’s games and, judging by the gruffness of his voice, neither was Bucky.

“What are you trying to say, Natalia? Why are you coming to us with this?”

“Because that pup’s only chance to escape is adoption and I can’t think of anyone better to look after him than you. Just think about it?”

Clint was vibrating so much with tension that Bucky had to be able to feel it sat next to him but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Once again, he was grateful that Bucky understood what he wanted without Clint saying anything, sliding the file closer to him and grateful that the hint was taken and they were left alone. “We’ll discuss it.”

~*~

Unlike before, they did discuss it. In fact, they didn’t discuss anything else for the best part of three days. Both of them were concerned that they wouldn’t be able to do the pup justice but neither did they want to abandon him to the CPS. As far as they were concerned, there was only one choice and it was thus that they told a rather smug Natasha and Maria Hill that they would adopt the pup. From there, things had moved incredibly quickly - Natasha, Maria Hill and Pepper Potts working in tandem was a genuinely terrifying thing – and before they truly had time to realise what was happening, they were at the CPS offices to pick up Leo.

Their son.

They’d met Leo once since they’d agreed to the adoption and while it hadn’t been a disaster, neither had it been a total success. The little omega was clearly terrified, huddled in the corner with his eyes constantly darting around and watching what was going on. If his behaviour hadn’t been a giveaway as to his mistreatment, then his small stature and the bruise that lingered on one cheekbone definitely did. Clint and Bucky may have doubted their ability to be good parents but they knew that they could do better than this. Bucky had stayed back while Clint moved forward, inching ever closer to Leo and talking in a soft voice, just as he would with a frightened, injured animal. He’d been successful and by the time that they left, Leo had looked slightly less terrified and had been willing to sit right next to Clint, even tolerating Bucky’s presence close to him.

This time, when they arrived at the CPS offices, Leo’s reaction to them had been completely different. He had willingly gone to Clint, allowing himself to be scooped up into his lap and talking quietly. Clint had felt Bucky’s gaze on them before Bucky had smiled softly and simply busied himself with the legalities of making Leo theirs. By the time that they had finished signing a veritable rainforest of paperwork, the weather had taken a turn for the worse, the wind swirling snow around and bringing with it an arctic chill. Leo shivered violently where he sat perched in Clint’s arms, his thin t-shirt doing absolutely nothing to protect him from the freezing temperatures. It was the work of seconds for Bucky to shrug off the hoodie that he was wearing, wrapping it tightly around Leo like a blanket and brushing his fingers over a sunken cheek, smiling softly as his actions elicited a gentle purr.

Maybe they could do this and not screw up too badly.

(~*~)

“Am I ever getting that hoodie back?”

Clint blinked and stirred sleepily, although he’d been aware of Bucky’s presence since the other man had entered their suite. “Probably not. Are you complaining?”

Clint knew that they made a pretty irresistible sight; Clint and Leo snuggled up in Clint and Bucky’s bed, Clint wrapped around the pup while Leo was clinging to the hoodie that Bucky had wrapped around him as they left the CPS offices, the same one that Clint often stole. Judging by the softness to Bucky’s eyes, he didn’t think that he’d ever seen anything so adorable. “No, I’m really not.”

“Good. Then come and join us.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on DW, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.dreamwidth.org/276016.html)


End file.
